Judge orders Plymouth fireworks maker held in jail

Tamara Race

Tuesday

Jul 29, 2008 at 12:01 AMJul 29, 2008 at 1:36 AM

A Plymouth man charged with making fireworks at his Sandy Beach home will remain in jail.

Robert Rinaldi, 57, was free pending trial on previous fireworks manufacturing charges when authorities raided his home a second time July 23. They reportedly seized large quantities of black powder, tubes, fuses and fireworks manufacturing equipment.

He also has a previous conviction for making fireworks.

State Police arrested Rinaldi on Saturday on new charges stemming from the second raid.

Rinaldi pleaded innocent Monday in Plymouth District Court to 23 counts of possession of an explosive device and one count of manufacturing explosive devices.

Judge Thomas Brownell granted prosecutors’ request to hold Rinaldi in jail for violating the terms of his release in the first case.

He can be held in jail for up to 60 days.

Rinaldi’s attorney, listed in court documents as Steven Murray, asked that his client remain free pending his next court date Aug. 4, when both cases would be combined and disposed of.

“The devices discovered were not found during the April search,” Murray told Judge Brownell. “My client intends to move to a state where fireworks are legal. He is a self-employed carpenter with serious health issues due to severe burns he received several years ago. There is no threat of his leaving before his court date.”

Prosecutors said Rinaldi’s family members called police after finding the explosive materials while cleaning out the house in preparation for its sale.

The tip prompted a massive search of the entire property last week.

Police and fire officials say they found numerous tubes and fuses, large quantities of black powder, and chemicals used in the manufacturing of fireworks.

Authorities also seized circuit boards, screens, a wooden press, mixing drums, and other equipment used to make fireworks, a computer hard drive, and books on making fireworks, court documents indicate.

Murray would not comment on the case.

Tamara Race may be reached at trace@ledger.com.

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